Sixers Swap Victory for Defeat

By Sean Kennedy (@PhillyFastBreak)

Sacramento 114, Philadelphia 110 – Box Score

Given the swap rights Philadelphia own with Sacramento this season, Wednesday’s game was one of the few Sixers fans could root whole-heartedly for a win. Even if a victory brought the Sixers closer to the Lakers in the standings, it would drop Sacramento down and increase the odds of their pick jumping into the top-3. With the draft situation basically a wash either way, why not root for a good, old-fashioned victory?

For most of the evening, that looked exactly like it would be the case. The Kings appeared completely disinterested, as a team might after its coach was all but fired, only for its dysfunctional management to lukewarmly decide a day later to keep him on for a bit longer.

Also, Sacramento is the worst team in the NBA at defending the three-point line, as their opponents have canned triples on over 10% of their possessions this season. The Sixers were only too happen to exploit that advantage, as the team finished the game 15-34 from behind the arc, led by Robert Covington and Nik Stauskas.

Covington dropped a career-high 29 points on 7-11 shooting from three, while also swiping 6 steals. Stauskas got some degree of revenge against the club that gave up on him after only one NBA season, tallying 16 points on 4-5 from three, and draining a buzzer-beater from 30 feet to end the first half.

Behind those two and the outstanding play of Jahlil Okafor (26 points, 10 rebounds, career-high 5 assists, and 2 block), the Sixers led by as many as 17 points midway through the third quarter. Unfortunately, turnovers creeped up as a culprit once again, with 13 of Philadelphia’s 19 turnovers coming in the second half. Though they were so brilliant in the other facets of the game, Covington and Okafor were a major reason for Sacramento getting back into the game, combining for 13 turnovers between them.

As the Sixers did their best to give the game away, the Kings finally sprang to life in the fourth quarter. Sacramento scored 39 points in the final frame, behind some efficient scoring from Darren Collison (25 points off the bench on 9-12 shooting), and the bull-headed determination of DeMarcus Cousins (28 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists). A late 9-0 run propelled the Kings into the lead and the Sixers to yet another huge collapse in defeat.

Other Game Notes:

• With Nerlens Noel sitting out with right knee tendinitis, Jerami Grant drew the start and put together another solid performance. Grant had 4 blocks and a career-high 6 assists, while avoiding some of the wild charges that continually plague him (only 1 turnover). Grant did have to go to the locker room late in the game with what looked like a groin injury; hopefully, the rest over the all-star break will be enough to get him back to 100%.
• I blew past it a bit, but it’s worth reiterating how well Jahlil Okafor played. Despite Cousins’ gaudy final numbers, Okafor held his own against him defensively most of the game. He looked engaged on that end and fought hard on the glass both ways. Offensively, he continually went right at Cousins, and came out on top more often than not.

EAT big fella 💪🏾 (CSN) https://t.co/GUhiZVulaS

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 11, 2016

Despite the loss, Okafor’s play was certainly encouraging. Now, the Sixers can only hope for more of these career nights when Nerlens Noel is also in the line-up.